


A Wicked Web of Lies

by DraconisWinters



Series: Within the Shadows [3]
Category: LinkedUniverse - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 08:56:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18443246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DraconisWinters/pseuds/DraconisWinters
Summary: Just get the mirror and take it to Callous.That’s all he had to do.Just get the mirror and take it to Callous.





	A Wicked Web of Lies

Shadow looked around the camp cautiously. The sun was going to set soon, but he had no place to keep his mirror hidden. If things went south, he could survive as long as the mirror wasn’t shatter, he had to protect it and the other Darks were stupid for leaving their mirrors in plain sight. Well…accept for Tempest, Shadow has yet to see the little gremlin’s mirror. But back to himself, he had nowhere to hide his mirror. He stood up and began to leave the camp, trying to remain calm and not reveal his inner anxiety. Eternal’s eyes were on his back, following his every move.  
Slowly but surely, Shadow made his way away from the eye shot and hearing range of the others. Glancing around and seeing no sign of red eyes, Shadow sighed in relief and allowed his eyes to slowly fade to blue. As they should be. Shadow then pulled out his mirror and focused his dark magic, bringing up and image to Four in the light world. It was night there and Four was sleeping peacefully. That’s good.  
The light world! That was where he’d hide his mirror. They’d never be able to get it there!  
Calling on his abilities Shadow fades into the murky darkness of the trees. Easily navigating though the murky blackness, Shadow inhaled deeply. It was nice to be somewhere familiar. Maybe he could just stay here…maybe he just wouldn’t go back…no. That wouldn’t work. Savage could travel to the shadow realm too. Shadow had seen the wolf come and go from dark caves or the thick shade of trees. And if there was one thing Shadow didn’t want, it was Savage trying to maul him or something.  
Reaching the bridge between the Shadow realm and Light world, Shadow paused, before tentatively reaching out into the light or rather night or the world. Shadow steps all the way through and sees that he is near Four. That is good, he wouldn’t have to avoid the heroes. Looking across camp, Shadow could see a man sitting up wide awake. From the back he kind of looked like Eternal. Shadow held in a shudder, before beginning to approach Four. He’d just put the mirror in Four’s bag and leave.  
Shadow moved silently about the camp, taking extra precautions not to touch or move anything. A small yelp to his side made Shadow’s breathe hitch, but looking down he only saw a child that looked eerily like Tempest shifting in his sleep. He rolled over before settling back down and his soft snores returned. Shadow exhaled thankfully, realizing he was holding his breath and he continued on.  
Having finally made it to Four, Shadow let out a breath of relief, sinking to his knees, quietly opening Four’s bag and depositing his mirror in it. He shifted some one Four’s extra tunics (Probably Green’s), books (probably Vio’s), a stuffed animal or two (Definitely Red’s), and finally placed the toy hammer back on top (Blue).  
Wow, Shadow hadn’t realized how much he had missed them.  
Well, that didn’t matter right now. He had a mission to complete and he was just dropping this off. Even if Four found it, he’d realize what it was and protect it. Or at least Shadow hoped he would. No, Shadow knew he would. He was one of them, he was. They’d protect it. He just had to believe that.  
Shadow rose to his feet and looked to make sure the man on watch hadn’t caught him. He hadn’t even turned around, Shadow smirked, he still had it. With that final thought Shadow, began to make his way back out of the camp.  
When he was on the edge of their little camp area, Shadow looked out into the woods. His heart stopped. There was a pair of bright green eyes staring at him. Shadow took a step back as did the green eyed figure. His eyes were beautiful, yet toxic, pained, burdened by the atrocities of the world. Shadow swears he has seen eyes like that before, but where?  
Then it hit him he had seen that look in Acidic’s eyes. Broken down, exhausted, ready to give up…but this wasn’t Acidic. Shadow looked back and noticed the man on watch still had not turned around. Shadow looked back to the person with green eyes, cloaked in the blackness of night and took a single step forward. The pair of green eyes widened in fear before the person turned and took off running.  
As much as Shadow wanted to run after to the person, he knew he had to get back to the Dark world, night would soon fall. Sparing one last regretful look back at Four, Shadow looks down feeling the anxiety settle in his stomach. Maybe he should just stay here…No, even if Four accepted him, Shadow was positive the others wouldn’t.  
He hurried through the Shadow realm back into the Dark world. As soon as he crossed in to the Dark world, an arm came out of nowhere and pinned him against the tree he had used to reenter. Before Shadow could let out a panicked scream, another hand covered his mouth.  
“Where have you been?”  
Shadow’s eyes refocused and he saw Callous standing in front of him, red eyes normally dull, but now ablaze with furry.  
“I looked for you to go over somethings and you were nowhere to be found! Are you flaking out on the plan, becoming a traitor again?!” Callous growled lowly.  
Shadow’s eyes widened with panic and he shook his head frantically. Callous grunted before letting him go and Shadow fell on to his knees releasing a breath he didn’t know he was holding in.  
“You better not be having second thoughts,” Callous warned, “It’s almost time.”  
Shadow, regaining his breath, looked up at the sky and noticed it was darkening. “Yeah, I’m ready.”  
“Okay, once you grab the mirror we are going to meet back here. It should be far enough away,” Callous commanded and Shadow nodded,  
“Sounds like a good plan.”  
“It is and you better stick to it,” Callous warned, “No last minute pathetic changes of heart. After tonight, this group of pathetic morons will be under our command.”  
... Shadow lay against the rock in the area of camp he claimed as ‘his’ waiting, just waiting. Slowly but surely, one by one, the other Darks drifted off. Savage was off patrolling around the area in his wolf form and wouldn’t be back till morning with Callous secretly following him to ensure this would happen. But there was still one problem that Callous hadn’t accounted for, Shadow sighed looking over to the one person still awake. Acidic.  
Due to the dark bags under his eyes, it was easy to tell that he rarely slept, and as much as Shadow wanted to pity him, he had a mission to due and Acidic was interfering. Well, maybe talking to him would convince the man to either sleep or leave. It was worth trying.  
“Hey, Acidic, you okay?” Shadow asked standing and moving closer to the man.  
Acidic refused to look at him and only growled, “Go away.”  
“Maybe you’d feel better if you got some rest-,” Shadow tried only to have Acidic whip around and respond, words filled with some much venom one could be burned,  
“You think I don’t want to sleep Traitor? You think I’m fine with staying up like this every night? Well I’m not. I’m exhausted, but I can’t sleep. It’s not my choice!”  
Shadow quickly looked around and was grateful no one had been woken up by Acidic’s response.  
“I’m sorry to hear that-,”  
Acidic grunted and stood up. “Leave me alone,” he snapped leaving the camp and disappearing into the woods. Well, least he was the only one left awake in the camp.  
Shadow turned to where Eternal was laying. The man was sleeping on his back and from where he was standing, Shadow could clearly see his mirror. It was time. Putting on cautious foot in front of the other Shadow slowly made his way over to Eternal. His heart was pounding and Shadow was surprised no one else could hear it.  
Just get the mirror and take it to Callous.  
That’s all he had to do.  
Just get the mirror and take it to Callous.  
Shadow was next to Eternal and the man still had not woken up. Shadow tried to calm his breathing and focus his energy. His body became incorporeal and slowly began to use the shadows created by the moon’s light to remove the mirror from Eternal’s belt. Slowly, bit by bit, the mirror moved. Shadow wanted to move faster, but he couldn’t risk waking Eternal up. But what if Acidic came back? What if Savage came back? What if someone else woke up?  
Almost there. So close.  
Shadow held his breathe, his heart pounded.  
But then the mirror was free, a soft sigh of relief escaped Shadow as he took the mirror and became corporal once more. Shadow’s immediately turned to look around the camp, still no movement. Now he just had to take the mirror to Callous. Shadow slowly walked out of the camp looking around suspiciously at every minuscule movement. Eternal’s mirror was clutched tightly in his sweaty palms. Just get it to Callous and you’re done.  
Once Shadow was out of the camp and into the woods he took off running towards the area he and Callous had met earlier in the day. He was so close to being done. He could see the specific tree in the distance. Shadow slowed down to a brisk walk, looking around for Callous.  
Finally reaching the tree, Shadow continued to look around but still had not found Callous. “Callous?” Shadow called out softly. There was no response. Shadow’s breathing quickened as his mind began racing. Callous wouldn’t just abandon him, it was his plan after all. He was probably still following Savage. Yeah, that was it-  
Shadow’s thoughts were interrupted by the snarl of a wolf. He froze in fear.  
A loud bark echoed and something barreled into Shadow.  
He fell to the ground, sharpened teeth sunk into him.  
He screamed.  
Then there was nothing only blackness.  
… Why was his body being dragged along the ground? Why does his neck hurt so much?  
Shadow’s breathing was rugged and he could barely inhale. He coughed once and whatever was in his throat ended up in his mouth. Oh, he dimly realized, it was his blood.  
His heart was beating in his ears.  
Was that teeth in his neck? Is that why is hurt?  
His body stopped moving and he was dropped to the ground. He could feel blood pouring down his neck. Shadow weakly managed to open his eyes and he look up and saw Eternal standing there looking behind Shadow barking orders,  
“Find his mirror, find it now!”  
Shadow could make out Callous standing behind Eternal a small smirk present on his face and reality slammed into Shadow. His heart hurt more than his neck did as he realized he had been lied to, he was alone.  
…  
Four was digging through his bag searching for a specific book Vio had packed and wanted to read once the atmosphere died down. Feeling around in his bag, Four’s hand brushed something that most definitely wasn’t his. He pulled the object out in confusion.  
“Four, what do you have there?” Sky asked curiously.  
Four could only stare in shock at the mirror that he had pulled out of his bag. This…it was a miniature version of the Dark Mirror. And the Dark mirror meant Shadow, but Shadow would have said something, they had an understanding now right?  
Four looked up at Sky and was about to respond, before his attention was drawn back to the mirror hearing a cracking sound. Like thin ice about to collapse underfoot. A horrified gasp escaped Four as he looked back at the mirror and saw a small crack that had not been there before.  
“Shadow…”


End file.
